The present invention relates generally to computer database systems, and specifically to methods for visualizing information from a data warehousing environment.
Few could foresee the rapid development of computer technology just a few years ago. Computers now have a place in our homes, our offices, our schools and even our briefcases and satchels. As computer automation continues to impact an ever increasing portion of our daily lives, governments, businesses and individuals have turned to database technology to help them manage the xe2x80x9cinformation explosion,xe2x80x9d the exponential proliferation of information that must be sorted, assimilated and managed on a continuing basis. One area of importance to the database design field is data model selection for database applications.
A data model represents the structure or organization of data stored in the database. It enables the use of data in certain forms and may limit the data being used in other forms. Different applications usually require different data models. Many different data models can exist, and they usually differ markedly from one another. Typically, database applications are customized to a particular data model of a particular database. Usually, these applications must be re-implemented for every database, even though the functioning of the application remains the same.
Presently, database developers have turned to data warehousing technology to resolve often conflicting data management requirements. Traditional data warehousing approaches focus on decision support applications, which emphasize summarized information. While perceived advantages exist, an inherent disadvantage to these systems is that the customer identity is lost. Further, usability of customer data analyses techniques can be improved over traditional approaches by methods for displaying analysis results and database content to the user.
What is needed is a method for analyzing customer data contained in databases, data marts and data warehouses.
According to the invention, techniques for profiling of human behavior based upon analyzing data contained in databases, data marts and data warehouses are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a method for creating a dynamic customer profile by analyzing relationships in data from one or more data sources of an enterprise. The method can be used with many popular visualization tools, such as On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) tools and the like. The method is especially useful in conjunction with a meta-model based technique for modeling the enterprise data. The enterprise is typically a business activity, but can also be other loci of human activity. The human behavior profiled is typically that of a customer, but can be any other type of human behavior. Embodiments according to the invention can display data from a variety of sources in order to provide visual representations of data in a data warehousing environment.
A first aspect in accordance with the present invention provides a method for creating a customer profile from customer information. The customer information can be stored in a database, multiple databases, a data mart or a data warehouse, for example. The customer information can comprise one or more attributes. Attributes can include age, gender, income, and the like. The method can include receiving as input the customer information. Receiving can be by means of direct input, or by accessing data in a legacy database, for example. Segmenting the customer information into one or more groups, or segments, based upon a value for the attributes can also be part of the method. The method can also include defining one or more profiles. Profiles can comprise one or more groups. The profiles can be used to analyze the customer information.
In a specific embodiment, the segmenting can include specifying one or more expressions, in which each expression can be evaluated to a particular value. The expression can comprise one or more attributes, where the attributes can be combined based upon one or operators. Operators can include arithmetic operators, logical operators, and the like.
In another specific embodiment, segmenting can include mapping values produced by the one or more expressions to one or more segmentation code values. The method can also include assigning numeric values to particular ones of the segmentation code values. The method can also include assigning enumerative values to particular ones of said plurality of segmentation code values. The method can also include mapping a range of expression values to the one or more segmentation code values.
Numerous benefits are achieved by way of the present invention over conventional techniques. The present invention can provide techniques for profiling human behavior based upon dynamic relationships that can be customized to fit different business needs. Many embodiments enable business applications to be built more easily and quickly than heretofore known methods. These and other benefits are described throughout the present specification. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention herein may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.